Chinese Aircraft

6 Boeing 737-300 airborne command post conversionIl'yushin IL-76MD engine testbed

7 Gates Learjet 35A136A ELiNT conversion

First published in 2008 byHikoki Publications Ltd1a Ringway Trading EstShadowmoss RdManchesterM22 5LHEngland

Email: [email protected]

Yefim Gordon, Dmitriy Komissarov

Layout by Polygon Press Ltd., Moscow

Colour profiles: Andrey Yurgenson,the late Sergey Yershov, Valentin VetlitskiyLine drawings: Andrey Yurgenson

ISBN 9 781902 109046

All rights reserved. No part of this bookmay be reproduced or transmitted in anyform or by any means electronic ormechanical, including photocopying,recording or by any information storagewithout permission from the Publisherin writing. All enquiries should be directedto the Publisher.

Printed in Singapore

Acknowledgements

Introduction

1 The Chinese Aircraft Industry 11

2 The Fighters 23Shenyang JJ-2 (FT-2) advanced trainer 23J-5 fighter family 24J-6 fighter family 31Shenyang Dongfeng-l 07 fighter (project) 47Shenyang Dongfeng-l 04 fighter (project) 47J-7 fighter family 48HMEA Dongfeng-113 fighter (project) 48Shenyang J-8 interceptor 75Chengdu J-9 tactical fighter (project) 90Shenyang J-1 0 heavy interceptor (project, first designation) 92Shenyang J-ll light fighter (project, first designation) 92Nanchang J-12 light fighter 93Shenyang J-13 light fighter (project) 94Chengdu J-l 0 (F-l 0) multi-role fighter (second designation) 95Shenyang J-ll fighter (second designation) 104Chengdu FC-l Xiaolong (JF-17 Thunder) fighter 106XXJ (J-XX) future fighter projects 1103 The Bombers 111Tupolev Tu-4 - Chinese conversions 111Harbin H-5 (B-5) tactical bomber 112Xian H-6 medium bomber 118Xian H-8 bomber (project) 137Beriyev Be-6 flying boat - Chinese conversion (Qing-6) 138Harbin SH-5 bomber/ASW flying boat 139New stealth bomber programme7 142

4 The Strike Aircraft 143Nanchang Q-5 (A-5) attack aircraft 143Shenyang JH-8 fighter-bomber (project) 157Nanchang Q-6 fighter-bomber (project) 160Xian JH-7 (FBC-l Flying Leopard) fighter-bomber 1645 The Trainers 173Nanchang CJ-5 primary trainer 173Nanchang CJ-6 (Hongzhuan 502) primary trainer 175Shenyang JJ-l basic trainer 178Nanchang K-8 (JL-8) Karakorum advanced trainer 179Guizhou JL-9 (FTC-2000) Shan Ying combat trainer 184CY-l combat trainer/ LFC-16 fighter (project) 188Hongdu L15 Hunting Eagle combat trainer 188

6 Airliners and Transports 191Nanchang/Shijiazhuang Y-5 191Beijing-1 194Harbin Song Hua Jiang-l 195Capital-l 195Nanchang Jing Gang Shan-4 196Y6 airliner (project) 196Xian Y7 family 196Shaanxi Y8 family 207Shanghai Y1 0 airliner 229Harbin Yl1 utility aircraft 231Harbin Y12 utility aircraft 233McDonnell Douglas (Shanghai) MD-82/-83/-90 airliners 237Shaanxi Y9 military transport (project) 238HEAl Embraer ERJ-145 airliner 239Y16 airliner (project) 239ACAC ARJ21 Xiangfeng 240Guangdong Changsheng China Star CS2000 airliner (project) 243Xian WJ airliner/transport (project) 244Guangdong Changsheng China Star CS201 0 airliner (project) 2447 Special Mission Aircraft 245Tupolev Tu-l 54M/D ELiNT aircraft 245Xian KJ-2000 AWACS aircraft 247

8 Light Utility AircraftFeilong-lShen Hang-1Yan'an-lHongqi-lHeilongjiang-lThe BIAA Mifeng seriesHuabei Qingting-5NAilAdaso AD-l 00 VoyagerHuabei Qingting-6NAI/Adaso AD-200Nanchang HaiyanSLAC HU-lNanchang N5Chengdu CA-lSea Gull-l 00 (A 1) and Sea Gull-200XADRI Small Eagle 100NUAA FT300NLA AC-500 AircarGEAC EV-97Shijiazhuang LE-500 Little Eagle cabin monoplaneShijiazhuang LE-800 executive aircraft (project)9 HelicoptersHarbin Z5 multi-role helicopterHarbin/CHRDI Z6 multi-role helicopterNPU/NAI Yan'an-2 light helicopterHarbin Model 701 light helicopterCHRDI/CAE Z7 heavy transport helicopterChanghe Z8 heavy helicopterHarbin Z9 familyChanghe Z11 multi-role helicopterWuhan Helicopter Industry Co.CHRDI Zl 0 multi-role helicopter (project)CHRDI/Changhe WZl 0 attack helicopterHongdu MD HelicoptersShanghai-Sikorsky Shen utility helicoptersChanghe-Agusta CA109 utility helicopterLantian-Mil' Mi-171 transport/utility helicopterHarbin HC 120 multi-role helicopterHarbin Z15 multi-role helicopter (project)10 TheUAVsNAI CK-l droneWZ-5 (Chang Hong-l) reconnaissance .droneBJ71 04 target droneBa-2 target drone04 research/survey/reconnaissance UAVBa-6 target droneBa-7 (ASN-7) target droneBa-9 (ASN-9) target droneASN-15 reconnaissance UAVASN-l 04 reconnaissance UAVASN-l 05B reconnaissance UAVASN-206 reconnaissance UAVASN-207 reconnaissance systemASN-209 reconnaissance UAVTJ-l target droneCK-2 droneGuizhou WZ-9 reconnaissance UAVGuizhou WZ-2000 reconnaissance UAVShenyang Anjian UCAVChengdu Xianglong reconnaissance UAVBUAA Haiou reconnaissance VTUAVHua Ying reconnaissance UAVUnidentified UAVs

Index

251251251

253253253253254254254256257257258258258259259260260260261261262262

263263267268268269270274283286287288290290291291291291

293293297298298299300300300300301301302303304304304305305305306307307307

309

5

An air-to-air ofa Hongdu L15advanced trainerprototype.

The authors would like to thank friends andphotographers who kindly supplied the photosused in the making of this book: Peter Davison,Neil Lewis, Helmut Walther, Victor Drushlyakov,Lindsay Peacock, Chris Lofting.

Apart from official company advertisingmaterials, printed sources used in the making ofthis book include China Today: Aviation Industrypublished by the Chinese Social Science Press inBeijing in 1989 and China Aircraft 1951-1997published by Aviation Industry Press.

The book also includes information and photosby the Xinhua News Agency and from the followinginternet sources: wwwsinodefence.com,wwwtop81.cn, wwwchinaviewcn,www.sh.eastday.com.wwwcjdby.net.

6

wwwwpcjs.com, wwwaf.126.com,wwwdefencetalk.com, wwwskyscraperlife.com,www.fyjs.cn.wwwtop81bbs.126.com.wwwent.sino.com.cn, wwwaviationnowcom.cn,wwwpic.tiexue.net, wwwscol.com.cn,wwwstormpages.com, wwwweaponeu.com,wwwcrienglish.com, wwwdefence.pk,wwwpakdef.info, wwwsonicmodel.com,wwwsonic.bbs.com, wwwjczs.sina.com.cn,www.mm.xxinfo.ha.cn.wwwmil.jschina.com.cn.www.bbs.beareges.com.cn.wwwmilitary.people.com.cn, wwwchinamil.com,wwwconcentric.net, wwwmil.21dnn.com,wwwmil.sohu.com, wwwchina.com,wwwglobalsecurity.org, wwwavia.ru,www.aviaportru.wwwniieap.ru.

\

In the first half of the 20th century the Chineseaircraft industry was non-existent. Chinese avi-ation was established in 1910 under the QingDynasty when the government set up a smallair wing. Until 1949, progress was slow True,aviation departments were set up at severaluniversities but China's aircraft fleet consistedentirely of imported types; there were a fewaircraft repair workshops (the first of thesewas set up in 1913) but no manufacturingfacilities. This is unsurprising, considering thatthe country was perpetually torn apart by rev-olutions (the Xinhai Revolution of 1911 whichended the rule of the emperors in China, thefailed anti-imperialist revolution of 1925-27)and wars. With Japanese occupation of Chinain 1937-45, any indigenous aircraft productionwas out of the question.

It was not until the last Chinese civil war of1949 (alias the socialist revolution) and theestablishment of the People's Republic ofChina (PRC) on 1st October 1949 that the sit-uation began to change. It took several yearsto overcome the aftermath of the wars;among other things, China had to rebuild itsarmed forces, now known as the People'sLiberation Army (PLA). In the meantime, warbroke out next door in Korea in 1950, andChina sided with the communist governmentof North Korea, extending military assistance.Apart from the tell-tale '1,000,000 Chinesevolunteers', some of whom flew Soviet-sup-plied combat aircraft, the Chinese aircraftrepair plants refurbished and repaired a totalof 473 aircraft and 2,627 aero engines of var-ious types, making a sizeable contribution tothe cause of the war.

The birth of the Chinese aircraft industrydates back to 17th April 1951 when theCentral Military Commission and GovernmentAdministration Council promulgated the'Resolution on Building an Aviation Industry'.This was a bold decision, considering thatChina was an agrarian country at the time,with a low level of industrial development. Itwas decided to turn to the Soviet Union(which was interested in turning the PRC into

a strong and well-armed ally) for help in set-ting up aircraft production.

The Bureau of Aviation Industry (BAI) wasset up in 1951 as the first authority supervisingaircraft production in China. In 1953, follow-ing the example of the Soviet Union, the PRClaunched its first five-year economic develop-ment plan. The latter included the construc-tion of several aircraft factories which were toproduce primarily military aircraft for thePeople's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) andthe air component of the PLA Navy (PLANAF).With Soviet assistance, aircraft factories werebuilt and commissioned in Nanchang,Shenyang (formerly Mukden), Chengdu,Harbin and Xian (formerly Chang'an). Actualproduction, however, did not commence until1954, a year after the Korean War had ended.

Starting virtually from scratch, the Chineseaircraft industry appeared to be making rapidprogress. The mastering of the CJ-5 primarytrainer - the first aircraft to achieve quantityproduction in China - at Nanchang in 1954was followed in short order by the introductionof the J-5 swept-wing subsonic jet fighter, astate-of-the-art design, at Shenyang in 1955,followed by the supersonic J-6 in 1959 and theeven faster J-7 in 1961. Transport and utilityaircraft production was launched at Nanchangwith the Y-5 biplane in 1957, and preparationsto build the Y7 twin-turboprop airliner at Xianbegan in 1966. Also in 1959, the HarbinAircraft Factory began pro,duction of China'sfirst rotary-wing aircraft, the Z5 medium heli-copter. Aero engine production was alsobegun, the plant in Zhuzhou leading the way.As the scope of national aircraft productiongrew, the BAI was 'upgraded' to become theThird Ministry of Machine-Building.

However, domestic and international polit-ical developments soon had a profound influ-ence on the Chinese aircraft industry. In May1958, inspired by the successful fulfilment ofthe first five-year plan, Mao Zedong's govern-ment grew bullish and launched an ambitiousplan of accelerated industrial developmentknown as the 'Great Leap Forward'. In all areas

7

Chairman MaoZedong (centre)inspects a J-6fighter at theShenyang plant.

Test pilot WuKerning receivescongratulationsafter a successfulflight in a J-5.

CHINESE AIRCRAFT

of the economy, cranking out as much as pos-sible within the shortest time was consideredthe prime target; things like quality control,fundamental research and (in the case of theaircraft industry) the laws of aerodynamics,knowledge of structural materials and eventhe basic design principles were brushed aside.

As a result, the industry was effectively dis-organised; the indigenously built aircraft pro-duced between 1958 and 1960 turned out tobe of such inferior workmanship that thePLAAF refused to accept them and the AirForce's re-equipment plans were derailed. Noneof the new factories built within this time framecould be commissioned until 1962, and morethan 70% of the Chinese aircraft industry's pro-duction facilities (this amounts to a shop floorarea of approximately 1.02 million squaremetres) had to be rebuilt. Politically motivateddecisions (such as the transfer of productionfrom one factory to another, with the resultingneed to move personnel and materiel) oftenproved damaging to aircraft production.

Besides, the Chinese military kept settingdesign goals that were beyond the capabilitiesof the national aircraft industry - even withSoviet assistance. As a result, indigenous com-bat aircraft projects (notably supersonic fight-ers) were cancelled after running into seriousdevelopment problems - only to be replacedby even more ambitious ones.

Sino-Soviet relations had been deteriorat-ing since the early 1960s, with China accusingthe Soviet Union of 'revisionism' and 'movingtowards imperialism'. There was also a territo-rial dispute between the two nations concern-ing some islands on the Ussuri River (whichculminated in a border conflict in March1969). As a result, Sino-Soviet relationsdropped to a freezing point in 1965.

As if that weren't enough, enter the so-called Cultural Revolution - Chairman Mao's

8

last attempt to assert himself over his morepragmatically minded comrades-in-arms whowere trying to introduce elements of marketeconomy in China and restore his positionwhich was faltering after the failure of the'Great Leap Forward'. Using the widespreaddiscontent caused by this failure, Mao and hisso-called Gang of Four did their best to shiftthe blame to the opposition inside theCommunist Party of China, launching a mas-sive attack against it. This was the birth ofMaoism, a period of intensive power strugglein the nation's leadership and ideological'cleansing' at all levels. The nationwide politi-cal debate quickly escalated into fierce con-frontation between various clans and repres-sions against those who refused to follow thenew 'party line'. The existing science and cul-ture were declared 'bourgeois' and 'harmful',a course towards confrontation with theSoviet Union was taken, the Communist Partywas effectively decapitated, the nation wastotally militarised and found itself in almostcomplete political isolation.

This period lasted from 1966 to Mao'sdeath in 1976, leading to untold chaos anddevastation in the national economy and thecountry's life as a whole. Above all, it caused alarge loss of life - an estimated 1 million peo-ple were killed in the course of the 'CulturalRevolution'. The resulting shortage of special-ists was a further blow to the aircraft industry.

As a result, China's aircraft industry wasforced to go it alone. Gradually the industrydeveloped from reproduction of existing air-craft types to development of indigenous ver-sions and aircraft of entirely indigenous design.Subsequently the Third Ministry of Machine-Building was transformed into the Ministry ofAviation Industry and, later still, the Ministry ofAerospace Industry when China started manu-facturing and launching space vehicles. \

Sino-Soviet relations remained strainedeven after the end of the 'Cultural Revolution'- they did not improve until the mid-1980s.Hence, acting in accordance with the principle'my enemy's enemy is my friend', the People'sRepublic of China established diplomatic andeconomic relations with the western world.(Until then, since 1949 China had been repre-sented on the international arena solely by theRepublic of China (RoC) - that is, the break-away Taiwan.) As a result, the PRC was nowable to import US and West European aircraftand gain limited access to western aircrafttechnologies, including aero engines. Therewere several implications of this; for one thing,China again resorted to licence production orreverse-engineering - this time of western air-craft (specifically, French helicopters and theMcDonnell Douglas MD-82/83 airliner). Foranother, new Chinese civil aircraft were nowdeveloped with US Federal AirworthinessRegulations (FAR) in mind (later the domesticcivil aircraft airworthiness regulations wereharmonised with FAR). Also, more often thannot they were built around western engines,which improved their export potential - in the-ory at least.

In 1993 the Chinese aircraft industryunderwent further reforms. The Ministry ofAerospace Industry was disbanded, givingplace to the Aviation Industries of China(AVIC) state-owned corporation established on26th June 1993 to develop the market econo-my and expand international collaboration inaviation programmes. AVIC, which was head-quartered in Beijing, exercised control over all

INTRODUCTION

national aircraft, aero engine and componentmanufacturing plants. The CATIC Group(China National Aero-Technology Import andExport Corporation, or Zhongguo HangkongJishu Jinchukou ZonggongsJ) was formed on26th August 1993, with CATIC (founded inJanuary 1979) as its core company, to beresponsible for import and export of aero andnon-aero products, subcontract work and jointventures.

In line with the new policy concerning thenational aerospace industry, Chinese aircraftfactories forming part of AVIC now manufac-tured airframe components for western air-craft - the Boeing 747 long-haul airliner, theAirbus Industrie A300 and Boeing 757 medi-um-haul airliners, the Airbus Industrie A318/A320 and Boeing 737 short/medium-haul air-liners, the ATR72 and Bombardier Dash 8Qregional turboprops and the Bombardier 415fire-fighting aircraft.

The Chinese aerospace industry sufferedfrom the Asian slump of 1998. That year thetotal workforce of the industry was reduced toabout 500,000, when about 34,000 workerswere laid off and some 14,000 others trans-ferred to non-aerospace activities.

On 1st July 1999, in an effort to becomemore competitive, China established ten newstate-owned aviation corporations. Thus theAVIC behemoth, which then had 560,000employees, was divided into two 'competingbut co-operating' entities - AVIC I and AVIC II.They are equal economic entities authorised bythe state to make investments, operating asstate holding companies under the direct

9

An aerial view ofthe ShenyangAero EngineFactory.

CHINESE AIRCRAFT

supervision of the Central Government. Thetwo groups have a similar scope of business(aircraft, aero engines, avionics and equip-ment, plus non-aviation products such asautomobiles) but have a different specialisa-tion. AVIC I focuses on large and medium-sized aircraft while AVIC II gives priority tofeeder aircraft and helicopters.

In June 2008, however, it was announcedthat AVIC I and AVIC II are to re-merge.According to the merger commission formedat AVIC I, the united company will be formallyincorporated in July. No further details of theforthcoming merger have been released so far.

***

A few words have to be said about theChinese aircraft designation system. The origi-nal system used by the manufacturers consist-ed of a fancy-sounding and sometimes ideo-logically flavoured codename in typicalChinese style - DongFeng (East Wind) forfighters, FeiLong (Flying Dragon) for bombers,XionYing (Mighty Eagle) for attack aircraft,HongZhuan (Red Craftsman) for trainers - anda three-digit number. The first digit was againa code for the aircraft class (1 = fighter, 2 =bomber, 3 =attack aircraft, 5 = trainer; 4 pos-sibly denoted transport aircraft) and the othertwo ran consecutively (for example,Dongfeng-1 01 through Dongfeng-l13). Themilitary, however, used two-digit service desig-nations matching the last two of the yearwhen the type was accepted for service, withan occasional version designator letter added;thus, the Dongfeng-1 02/-1 03/-1 05 family thatcompleted tests in 1959 became the Type 59,Type 59A and Type 59B respectively.

In 1964 China switched to a new systemused by the manufacturers and the PLAAF/PLANAF alike which designated the aircraft byrole. The Chinese word(s) denoting this rolewere usually abbreviated to a one- or two-let-ter prefix followed by a sequential numberwithin each class of aircraft: BA (target drone),CJ (Chuji Jiaolianji - primary trainer), H(Hongzhaji - bomber), J (Jianjiji - fighter), JH(Jianjiji Hongzhaji - fighter-bomber), JL(Jiaolianji - [advanced] trainer), Q (Qiangjiji -attack aircraft), SH (Shuishangji Hongzhaji -maritime bomber, ie, flying boat), WZ (WurenZhenchaji - unmanned reconnaissance aerialvehicle), X (Xiangji - glider), Y (Yunshuji -transport), Z (Zhishengji - 'vertically ascendingvehicle', ie, helicopter or VTOL aircraft). Acurious aspect of this system was that thenumeric designator was, with very few excep-

10

tions, not lower than 5; this was reportedlydue to superstitious reasons, as the Chinesenumeral 'four' sounds very similar to theChinese word for 'death'.

As the basic design was refined and modi-fied in China, the consecutive versions wereidentified by Roman numerals; thus, the J-7fighter was followed by the J-7 I, J-7 II, J-7 IIIand J-7 IV. After 1987 the Roman numeralswere replaced by Roman letters; thus the H-6IV became the H-6D, though this is not a hardand fast rule - in some cases the letters did notmatch the former numerals, denoting a differ-ent version. Export aircraft wore further 'west-ernised' designations - for instance, the Q-5 IIIbecame the A-5C.

In the case of specialised versions an extradesignator letter was used: for example, D forDian (electronic warfare - either electronicintelligence or electronic countermeasures),J for Jiaolianji (trainer), U for You (in-flightrefuelling tanker) and Z for Zhenchaji (recon-naissance). Normally it was added to the prefix(for example, HD, HJ, HU and HZ denotedECM, conversion trainer, IFR tanker and photoreconnaissance versions of bombers), butagain this was not a hard and fast rule. Forexample, an armed version of the Z9 helicop-ter was designated Z9W (Wuzhuang - arma-ment) rather than ZW-9, and a maritime patrolversion of the Y8 transport was designatedY8X (Xun).

***

Considering that China has been largelyclosed to the outside world for many years andthat its armed forces and defence industry(including the aircraft industry) have beenunder tight security wraps, reliable informa-tion on Chinese aircraft - especially newdesigns - has been hard to come by. The situ-ation began to improve when the Internetfound its way to China. Covertly taken photosof current Chinese aircraft (including experi-mental ones) and details of aircraft pro-grammes were published on the worldwideweb via Hong Kong and Taiwan. (The latteraspect is unsurprising, since in the PRCInternet activities are closely controlled by thestate authorities; this has been referred to as'the Great Firewall of China'.) Hence in manycases the authors have had to rely on literatureand the Internet as the only available sourcesof information. '

It has to be said that aircraft engines,weapons and equipment are not dealt with inthis book for reasons of space. They will bedealt with in a future expanded edition.

The principal factories and institutions ofthe Chinese aircraft industry are listed inthis chapter.The manufacturersAs of this writing, the manufacturing elementof the Chinese aircraft industry is primarily rep-resented by the two state-owned corpora-tions, Aviation Industries of China I (AVIC I)and Aviation Industries of China II (AVIC II).

AVICI

AVIC I is headquartered in Beijing and headedby President Liu Gaozhuo, with Yang Yuzhongand Gu Huizhong as Senior Vice-Presidents. Thecorporation mainly engages in the develop-ment, manufacturing, sales, and after-sales

services of military and civil aircraft, engines, air-borne equipment, and weapons systems.Military products include fighters, fighter-bombers, bombers, transports, trainers andreconnaissance aircraft. Civil aircraft includeshorVmedium-haul airliners and transport air-craft. It also produces more than 3,000 differenttypes of non-aerospace products in 8 major cat-egories, including industrial gas turbines, auto-mobiles, motorcycles, refrigerating machineryand environmental protection equipment. AVICI services include aircraft leasing, general avia-tion services, and management of national air-craft verification and flight testing.

AVIC I comprises 53 large and medium-sized industrial enterprises, 31 research insti-tutes, 19 specialised companies and institu-tions engaged in foreign trade, material sup-ply, research and development. Nearly240,000 people are employed in industrialenterprises while 45,000 more employees

11

**.*..

Production ofH-6 bombers andY7 airliners atthe Xian aircraftfactory.

CHINESE AIRCRAFT THE CHINESE AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY

Baggage doorsfor a western air-liner manufac-tured by anAVIC I enterprise.

The building ofthe Chengdu Aircraft DesignInstitute.

Female workersat AVIC check thequality of anengine compo-nent.

China Flight Test EstablishmentThe China Flight Test Establishment (CFTE) isan R&D organisation responsible for testingand evaluating all civil and military aircraft inChina during the development and certifica-tion phases. In addition, the organisation alsocarries out flight tests and analysis in support

China Air-to-Air MissileResearch InstituteBased at Luoyang, Henan Province, and origi-nally known as the No. 607 Institute, the Air-to-Air Missile Research Institute (AAMRI) istasked with developing fighter weapons. Inpa rticu la r, th is orga nisation developed thePL-4, PL-10 and PL-11 semi-active radar-hom-ing medium-range AAMs, which provedunsuccessful. Not to be put off, AAMRIbrought out the PL-12 (PiLi-12) active radar-homing 'beyond-visual-range' AAM, alsoknown as ShanDian-10 (SD-10) for export.Development of this weapon officially beganin 1997 and took seven years to complete.During a live test in August 2005, a total ofeleven missiles were fired, all hitting their tar-gets.

48) and tail surfaces for the Boeing 757 medi-um-haul airliner; and fuselage components forDassault Falcon 2000EX business jet. It is alsodue to manufacture the rudder for theBoeing 787 Dreamliner medium/long-haul air-liner. Additionally, it will build the flightdecksection of the indigenous ARJ21 regional jet.

Chengdu Aircraft Industry GroupThe Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group(Chengdu Aircraft Corporation - CAC, orChengdu Feiji Gongye Gongsl) specialises inbuilding fighters. It is headquartered inChengdu; Luo Ronghuai is Chairman andPresident.

CAC was established in 1958 as theChengdu State Aircraft Factory No. 132 andbuilt with Soviet assistance. Over the years, ithas produced various types, starting with theJ-5A second-generation interceptor (1964-69)and its JJ-5 (FT-5) trainer derivative (March1965 - late 1986). These were followed by theJ-7 third-generation fighter family - the basicJ-7 (F-7A), which entered production in June1967; the J-7 I; the J-7 II (F-7B) from 1979; theexport F-7M (1985-897) and F-7P (1989-93);the J-7111 (J-7C) in 1992-96; the J-7IV (J-7D) in1994-99; the J-7E (1993-2002); the F-7PG(2001-02); the J-7G and its F-7BG and F-7NMexport derivatives (from 2002). Currently theplant produces the J-10 fourth-generationmedium fighter (since 2002) and the FC-1(JF-17) light fighter that is produced in co-operation with Pakistan since 2008

CAC is also an aircraft parts manufacturer.Subcontract work includes passenger doorsfor the Airbus Industrie A320 shorVmedium-haul airliner; wing parts for the Boeing 737shorVmedium-haul airliner and Boeing 747long-haul airliner; the rear fuselage (Section

Chengdu Aircraft Design InstituteSituated in Chengdu (Sichuan Province), theChengdu Aircraft Design Institute was estab-lished in 1970 on the basis of the 13thAviation School. This organisation started lifeas the Chengdu branch office of the No. 601Design Institute in Shenyang, but presentlybecame a research and development institu-tion in its own right - the No. 611 DesignInstitute. It specialises in fighter design, havingdeveloped such aircraft as the J-7 third-gener-ation fighter family and the J-1 0 fourth-gener-ation fighter (see Chapter 2).

The institute covers more than 80 disci-plines, including fluid dynamics, engineering,structural strength, vibration research, elec-tronics design (including radars and laser sys-tems), flight v~hicle design, electricity, instru-ment design, vacuum research, automaticcontrol systems, environmental control sys-tems, material application, computer and soft-ware development, reliability research, andinformation processing.

AVIC I Commercial AircraftCompanyThe AVIC I Commercial Aircraft Company(ACAC) was established in 1998 by six organ-isations - CAC, SARI, SAIC, SAC, XADRI andXAC. The company developed and manufac-tured the ARJ21 family of regional jets (nowthe responsibility of CACC - see below).

ACAC is based in Shanghai. Yang Yuzhongis Chairman of the Board of Directors, ZhengQiang is President, and Tao Zhihai and ChenJin are vice-presidents.

China Flight Test Establishment (CFTE) China Gas Turbine Establishment Guizhou Aviation Industries Group Co.

(GAIGC) Shanghai Aero-Engine Manufacturing Plant Shanghai Aircraft Manufacturing Factory

(SAM F) Shanghai Aircraft Research Institute (SARI) Shenyang Aero-Engine Research Institute Shenyang Aircraft Industries Group

(aka Shenyang Aircraft Corporation - SAC) Shenyang Liming Engine Manufacturing

Corporation Xian Aero-Engine Corporation Xian Aircraft Design and Research Institute

(XADRI) Xian Aircraft Industries Group

(aka Xian Aircraft Company - XAC)

-..-'1I~>:.:iIII --1~~~ -_~ II

_.~-\

~--\-..-.. -r-~l1li--,jljt---21'- I

_.:t:.:--l_>llc.'--15' I

work in research institutes. Total assets are34.9 billion yuan.

Examples of AVIC I enterprises includeChengdu Aircraft Company, Xian AircraftCompany, Shenyang Aircraft Company andtheir National Trade Bureau. Parts for Boeingjetliners and other non-Chinese aircraft aremade at these facilities. Flight testing of civiland military aircraft are also under the respon-sibility of AVIC I.

The principal AVIC I aviation entities are: AVIC I Commercial Aircraft Co. (ACAC) Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute (CADI) Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (aka

Chengdu Aircraft Corporation - CAC) China Air-to-Air Missile Research Institute

The AVIC I head-quarters inBeijing.

Liu Gaozhuo,President of theAVIC I corpora-tion.

12 13


A Chengdu FC-1Xiaolong, akaJF-17 Thunder(dn 02), under-goes static tests.

A small windtunnel at one ofAVIC I's researchand developmentestablishments.

Shenyang Aircraft CorporationBased at Shenyang (formerly Mukden) inLiaoning Province, Manchuria, the ShenyangAircraft Corporation (SAC, or Shenyang FeijiGongsl) is the oldest Chinese aircraft industryenterprise and the cradle of Chinese fighterdesign and production. It is currently presidedby Li Fangyong.

The Shenyang aircraft factory was foundedon 29th June 1951 with Soviet assistance. Itsfirst products were the JJ-2 jet fighter trainerand the J-5 second-generation jet fighter (thelatter was in production in 1955-69). In 1959the factory launched trial production of theJ-6A supersonic all-weather interceptor andJ-6 day fighter; this was followed by full-scaleproduction of the J-6 from 1963 onwards andother versions - the JZ-6 reconnaissance air-craft (1967), the improved J-6C day fighter(starting in August 1969), the J-6 I, J-6 II, J-6 IIIand finally the JJ-6 (FT-6) conversion trainerproduced in 1973-1986.

than 20 enterprises, of which the principalones are the Shanghai Aircraft ManufacturingFactory (SAMF), the Shanghai AircraftResearch Institute (SARI), the Shanghai Aero-Engine Manufacturing Factory; and ShanghaiInternational Aero Technology.

Of these, SAMF (Shanghai Feiji ZhizaoGongchang) is the oldest, having been estab-lished in 1950. Unfortunately little is knownabout its activities. In the early 1980s the fac-tory built the prototype and the static testexample of the Y10 medium-haul airliner -China's first passenger jet; yet series produc-tion failed to materialise. In 1987-91 SAMFundertook assembly of 35 McDonnell DouglasMD-82/MD-83 airliners from US-supplied kits,followed by two MD-90s in 2000.

In 1979 SAMF became the first Chinesecompany to start subcontract work for west-ern manufacturers. In particular, it was the solesupplier of MD-80 horizontal stabilisers, main-wheel well doors and some other parts.Currently it manufactures Boeing 737NG(737-600/-700/-800/-900) horizontal stabilis-ers. In April 2008 SAMF became a subcontrac-tor for Airbus Industrie, delivering its first setof cargo door frames for the Airbus A320 fam-ily. Currently the plant is to undertake finalassembly of the ARJ21 regional jet.

Shanghai Aircraft ResearchInstituteThis R&D institution was responsible for thedevelopment of the Y1 0 airliner. It also partic-ipated in the development of the ARJ21regional jet.

Guizhou Aviation Industries Group Co.The Guizhou Aviation Industries Group(Guizhou Hangkong Gongye Gongs/) is basedin Guiyang, Guizhou (formerly Kwangtung)Province. It is currently headed by PresidentZhang Jun, with Zhang Shangdao as Vice-President and Zhou Wancheng as Chairman ofthe Board.

GAIGC incorporates many enterprises, fac-tories and institutes engaged in various aero-space and non-aerospace activities; as of2004, total assets were 10.6 billion yuan andthe aerospace workforce was about 6,000.Main aircraft manufacturing plants are namedHonghu, Honglin, Longyan, Shuangyang andYunma.

Over the years, the main enterprise ofGAIGC produced the J-6 IV interceptor (1970)and various versions of the JJ-7/FT-7 trainer(starting in February 1986); it also manufac-tured J-7 components for Chengdu. Currentprogrammes include the JL-9 (FTC-2000)advanced trainer and the WZ-2000 unmannedreconnaissance aerial vehicle. The group alsoproduces air-to-air missiles and rocket launch-ers (at the Fel'lglei Armament Factory), as wellas maintenance jigs and tools for the Airbusairliner family.

Xi'an. A second facility is located at thePLAAF's Dinxing airbase in the Gobi Desert inGansu Province.

The organisation's aircraft are operated bya special PLAAF unit - the Air Force Flight TestRegiment (AFFTR). This unit was officially acti-vated on 7th March 1974, but it can trace itsorigins back to the flight test team of the 8thResearch Institute of the PRC 1st Ministry ofMachinery Industry.

Liyang Motor Corp.Located at Guizhou and initially known as theGuizhou Engine Factory (GEF), the plant wasfounded in early 1965, later becoming part ofthe Guizhou Aviation Industries Group. It mas-tered production of the WP-7 afterburningturbojet in 1969, followed by the WP-13 after-burning turbojets.

Shanghai AircraftManufacturing FactoryThe Shanghai Aviation Industries Group (SAIG,or Shanghai Hangkong Gongye Gongsi)chaired by Shen Huancheng includes more

of aircraft programmes. While some of the air-craft operated by CFTE are merely prototypes,heavily modified testbeds and research aircraftof all sorts make up a considerable part of thefleet.

The CFTE's main base is at Yanliang,Shaanxi Province, a small industrial townapproximately 56 km (34.7 miles) northeast of

The CFTE flightline at Yanliangcrowded withtest and develop-ment aircraft.

The CFTE man-agement build-ing; note theAVIC I logo ontop

An overall viewof Yanliang air-field, with sixChengdu J-10prototypes in theforeground.

14 15


The logo of theAVIC II corpora-tion.

MA60 fuselageside panels beingassembled atXian.

~...----....\

Aircraft engineering centreAVIC I also holds a small share (5%) in an air-craft engineering centre wl;rich the Europeanconsortium Airbus Industrie has set up withAVIC II.

AVIC II

Xian Aircraft Design &Resea rch InstituteThe Xian Aircraft Design & Research Institute(XADRI), initially known as the No. 602 AircraftDesign Institute, is an R&D establishmenttasked mainly with developing combat aircraft(in particular, the JH-7 fighter-bomber). It alsohad a hand in developing the ARJ21 regionalairliner.

By comparison, AVIC II - likewise headquar-tered in Beijing - comprises 81 subordinateindustrial enterprises, research institutes andother organisations. It is currently headed byPresident Zhang Hongbiao, with SongJingang, Xu Zhanbin and Liang Zhenhe as vice-presidents.

Xian Aero-Engine CorporationOriginally known as the Xian Engine Factory(XEF), this plant began production of the WP-8non-afterburning turbojet in 1965. It also builtthe WDZ-1 auxiliary power unit.

Industrie and water tanks, stabilising floatpylons, ailerons and various doors for theBombardier 415 waterbomber. Componentmanufacture for the ATR42/ATR 72 regionalturboprop began with wingtips in 1986 butwas extended in May 1997 to include ATR 42wing boxes and ATR 72 rear fuselage sections.

Xian Aircraft Industry CompanyAs the name implies, the Xian Aircraft IndustryCompany (XAC, or Xian Feiji Gongye Gongsl)is located in Xian, Shaanxi Province. GaoDacheng is the company chairman and presi-dent, assisted by vice-chairman Meng Xiangkaiand vice-president Chen Fusheng. Aviationactivities embrace 20 aircraft design depart-ments and five aircraft design laboratories,and have produced more than 20 differenttypes of aircraft.

The large aircraft factory at Xian was estab-lished in 1958; yet production of the H-6medium bomber in Xian did not commenceuntil 1964. Specialised versions of the bomberwere gradually introduced (the nuclear-capa-ble H-6A followed in 1966, the H-6D missilecarrier in 1983 etc.) Production stopped in theearly 1990s - only to resume at the turn of thecentury when the up-armed H-6H and the re-engined H-6K were developed.

In 1982 the plant began production of theY7 regional airliner family. This line of devel-opment is still current - the Y7-100 enteredproduction in 1986, followed by the Y7-200Ain 1999 and the MA60 in 2000; the latest pas-senger version called MA600 is due to entertests as of this writing. The Y7H freighter ver-sion equipped with a rear loading ramp wasintroduced in 1988.

Another major current programme is theJH-7 fighter-bomber which entered initial pro-duction around 1990.

In 1980 XAC established itself as a subcon-tractor for western aircraft manufacturers.Boeing was the first customer; the plant man-ufactures fins and tailplanes for the Boeing737 and Boeing 747; wing trailing-edge ribsfor the 747 and floor beams for the 747-400Special Freighter. XAC also produces A320wing components and doors for Airbus

The WP-6 afterburning turbojet entered trialproduction in 1959 but quality problems forcedan interruption until late 1960. Production ofthe WP-7 afterburning turbojet began in 1963but had to be transferred to Guizhou becauseSEF was overburdened with other work.

In 1976 the plant commenced trial produc-tion of the WS-9 afterburning turbofan, whichturned out to be difficult to master and took along time to debug. In November 2006 theLiming Motor Co. completed the developmentand test cycle of the WS-10 Taihang after-burning turbofan intended for the J-10 andJ-11 fourth-generation fighters.

Shenyang Aero-Engine ResearchInstituteOriginally known as the Shenyang Aero-Engine Design Office (SADO) and then as theNo. 606 Design Institute, the Shenyang Aero-Engine Research Institute (SARI) was responsi-ble for military engine design. It developedsuch engines as the PF-1 non-afterburning tur-bojet for the indigenous JJ-1 trainer, theHongqi-2 afterburning turbojet intended forthe stillborn Dongfeng-1 07 fighter. Other SARIproducts were the WP-7A (1969), WP-13(1978) and WP-14 Kunlun afterburning turbo-jets and the experimental WS-5 (co-developedwith the China Aeronautical Establishment in1963-73) and WS-6NVS-6A turbofans. The lat-ter model had a long development cycle last-ing from 1964 to 1981.

Boeing 747and so on; the latest is the manu-facture of the fin leading edge for the Boeing787.

In November 2007 the US general aviationaircraft manufacturer Cessna AircraftCompany announced it had selected SAC as apartner to manufacture the new Model 162SkyCatcher light sport aircraft.

Currently the Shenyang Aircraft IndustriesGroup has a workforce of about 30,000; onlysome 30% of the current activities are in aero-space.

Shenyang Liming Motor Co.This enterprise was created on the basis of theShenyang Engine Overhaul Factory in 1954-57:emerging-as the Shenyang Engine Factory(SEF). Under the guidance of its first directorMo Wenxiang and chief engineer Xu Xizan theplant launched production of the WP-5 after-burning turbojet with Soviet assistance in1956 while still under construction. This wasfollowed by the WP-5ANVP-5D, WP-5B andWP-5C non-afterburning versions in 1965,1966 and 1976 respectively.

Initial production of the J-7 third-genera-tion fighter took place in 1966 but was trans-ferred to the Chengdu plant once the latterhad been commissioned. In 1979 theShenyang aircraft factory began production ofthe J-8 interceptor; this was followed by theimproved J-8 I in 1985-87 and the drasticallyredesigned J-8 II and its derivatives from 1988onwards. On 29th June 1994, SAC becamethe core enterprise of the newly formedShenyang Aircraft Industries Group.

Production of the J-11 fourth-generationfighter (licence-built Sukhoi Su-27SK) began in1998. Currently the plant is mastering produc-tion of indigenous derivatives - the single-seatJ-11 B and the two-seat J-11 BS.

On the commercial aviation side, SAC is asubcontractor for the indigenous ACAC (nowCACC) ARJ21 regional jet, supplying the tailunit, engine pylons and electrical subassem-blies. Also, since 1985 SAC has been doingsubcontract work for western aircraft manu-facturers. This includes doors for theBombardier Dash 8 regional turboprop, cargodoors for the Boeing 757, wing ribs and emer-gency exits for the Airbus A31 0 and A320, thetailcone and landing gear doors for theLockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transport,rear fuselage and tail components for theBoeing 737-700, floors and bulkheads for the

II1III1III XAC I

The logo of theXian AircraftCompany.

A WS-10A Tai-hang turbofan isbench-run atSARI.

The logo of theXian Aero EngineCorporation.

The administra-tion buildings ofthe Xian AeroEngineCorporation.

16 17.1

Zhang Hongbiao,President of theAVIC II corpora-tion.

Static tests of aShaanxi Y8 trans-port.

CHINESE AIRCRAFT

AVIC II has five divisions, respectively spe-cialising in the production of fixed-wing air-craft (trainers, strike aircraft, regional airlinersand heavy transports), helicopters, aeroengines, airborne equipment; and civil aircraftmarket development. Its registered capital is12.6 billion yuan and total assets are 78 billionyuan.

AVIC II was stated in mid-2002 to havegovernment approval to float its non-militarybusiness on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.To this end, a new company called AviChinaIndustry and Technology was created in 2003.That same year, AVIC II signed a memorandumof understanding with Antonov, to pursue thepossibility of producing An-70 and An-124-300 in China. An MoU was signed withEurocopter in 2004 for joint development of anew 7,000 kg (15,4321 b) class helicopter (EC175, provisional designation Z-12) as areplacement for Sikorsky S-70C-2 Black Hawk.

The principal aviation entities of AVIC II are: Baoding Propeller Factory Changhe Aircraft Industry Group (CHAIG) Changzhou Aero-Engine Factory

18

Chengdu Engine Company (CEC) Chinese Helicopter Research and

Development Institute (CHRDI) Dongan Engine Company (WJ5) Harbin Aircraft Industries Group Hongdu Aviation Industry Group (HAIG) Shaanxi Aircraft Industry Group (SAC) Shijiazhuang Aircraft Industry Corporation

(SAIC) South Aero-Engine Company Zhuzhou Aviation Power Plant Research

Institute

Baoding propeller factoryLocated in Baoding, Hebei Province, this plantmainly specialises in propellers for fixed-wingaircraft. Its products have included the J9-G 1two-blade variable-pitch propeller (used onthe CJ-6 trainer), the J12-G 15 four-blade vari-able-pitch propeller (used on the Y-5 trans-port), the J16-G 1OA four-blade reversible-pitch propeller (used on the Y7 airliner, Y7Htransport and SH-5 flying boat), the J17-G 13four-blade reversible-pitch propeller (used onmost versions of the Y8 transport) and the JL-4six-blade reversible-pitch propeller intendedfor the Y9 advanced transport. However,Baoding also manufactures main rotor bladesfor the Z9 helicopter.

Changhe Aircraft Industries GroupThe Changhe Aircraft Industries Group(Changhe Feiji Gongye Gongs!) is China's prin-cipal helicopter manufacturer. It is based inJingdezhen, Jiangxi Province. Wang Bin is thecompany pres,ident.

The company was founded in 1969 and isnow one of the 500 largest industries inChina, with a 2004 workforce of more than11,000. It produced the Z8 medium helicopter(from 1986); currently it manufactures the Zlllight helicopter (since 1997) and is set to pro-duce the WZ1 0 attack helicopter.

CHAIG has been subcontracted to manu-facture the tailcone, tail rotor pylon and hori-zontal stabiliser of the Sikorsky S-92 helicop-ter. The tail for the first S-92 was delivered toSikorsky in May 1997; components for theS-76++ were also produced. The company hasalso become formed a joint venture withAgustaWestland known as Jiangxi ChangheHelicopter Company to assemble and marketthe AgustaWestland A 109E Power as the CA109; the venture is owned 60% by CHAIG and40% by AgustaWestland.

In 2007 it was announced that CHAIGwould probably be co-developing a new heli-copter with Sikorsky Aircraft.

Changzhou Aero Engine CompanyAlso known as the Jiangxi Helicopter EngineFactory, this plant located in Changzhou, JiangxiProvince, was established in 1969 with assis-tance from the Harbin engine factory and spe-cialises in turboshaft engines. In particular, pro-ducing the WZ6 turboshaft from 1975 onwards.

Chengdu Engine CompanyConstruction of the Chengdu Engine Factory(CEF) started in October 1958 with assistancefrom the colleagues at Shenyang. Starting offwith trial production of the RD-500K turbojetintended for a cruise missile, CEF soonswitched to the WP-6 afterburning turbojetwhich entered trial production in 1962. Theuprated WP-6A was developed in 1984 underthe direction of Gao Ge, followed by theWP-6B in 1970. Subsequently the ChengduEngine Company manufactured componentsfor the WP7 and WP13 afterburning turbojets(the latter type was co-produced with theGuizhou plant). It also developed the WS-8experimental commercial turbofan in 1970-73.

Chinese Helicopter Research &Development InstituteThe Chinese Helicopter Research andDevelopment Institute (Zhongguo ZhishengjiShe)i Yangjiuso) is located in Jingdezhen,Jiangxi Province. It is currently headed by ChiefDesigner Wu Ximing.

CHRDI has been actively involved in indige-nous helicopter design since the 1970s. It wasresponsible for the Z7 medium-lift helicopter,which failed to reach the flight test phase forreasons unrelated to the design; it has alsodeveloped the WZ10 attack helicopter and isworking on the closely related Z10 trans-port/utility helicopter.

Harbin Aircraft Industries GroupThe Harbin Aircraft Industries Group (HarbinFeiji Gongye Gongsi) is headquartered inHarbin, Heilongjiang Province. Its Presidentand General Manager is Cui Xuewen, with XuZhanbin as Vice-President.

HAIG is a manufacturer of both fixed-wingand rotary-wing aircraft, as well as of non-

THE CHINESE AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY

aerospaceproducts,includingautomobiles. Itacts as theparent organi-sation of theHafei AviationIndustryCompany(HafeiHangkongGongyeGongsi); thelatter is led byPresident CuiXuewen, whois assisted byQu Jingwen asGeneral Manager and Wang Bin as Chairmanof the Board. The group's 1998 workforce (thelatest figure provided) was approximately18,000.

The Hafei Aviation Industry Company start-ed life as the Harbin Aircraft Factory in 1952.A major reconstruction, in the course of whichthe shop floor area was doubled, began in1958; subsequently the plant was known asHarbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation(HAMC, or Harbin Feiji Zhizao Gongs!). Thefirst fixed-wing design produced there was theH-6 medium bomber (in 1959) but productionwas immediately transferred to Xian. Later, theplant concentrated on the H-5 (B-5) lightbomber and its HJ-5 (BT-5) trainer version,starting in April 1967; a small batch of SH-5flying boats was built in 1970-1984. On thecommercial side, in April 1977 HAMC beganmanufacturing the Y11 piston-engined utilityaircraft. This was followed by the Y12 turbo-prop family, with various versions appearingfrom 1983 onwards; the Y12 IV and Y12E arethe current versions. t

The Hafei company also acts as a subcon-tractor for Boeing, with which it signed anagreement in June 2004 to produce metallicand composite parts for various airliners,including the wing/fuselage fairing for theBoeing 787.

Rotary-wing aircraft produced at Harbinwere the Z5 medium helicopter (1959-60and 1963-79) and the Z9 medium helicopterfamily built under French licence from 1981onwards. The Hafei Aviation IndustryCompany teamed up with Eurocopter andSingapore Technologies Aerospace to co-pro-duce the Eurocopter EC 120 Colibri, the three

19

The Chineseindustry alsomanufacturesvarious aircraftsystems andequipment. Herea TY-6 ejectionseat is test-firedfrom a J-1 0 cock-pit mock-up.

HThe logo of theHarbin AircraftIndustries Group.

eThe logo of theHongdu AviationIndustries Group.

CHINESE AIRCRAFT

participants holding 24%, 61 % and 15% ofthe stock respectively. Originally Hafei built thecabin module; on 20th November 2003 anadditional agreement was signed, allowing thecompany to begin full local assembly of thishelicopter for the home market as the HC 120.The official contract was signed in Paris on11 th June 2004, and the first Hafei-assembledEC 120 was completed at the end of the year.

The Hafei company also performs subcon-tract work for Bell Helicopter Textron, manu-facturing the cabin module, tailboom andother components for the Bell 430 sinceSeptember 2005, and for Eurocopter.

In December 2002 HAIG created a newsubsidiary as a joint venture with Embraer(Harbin Embraer Aircraft Industry Co Ltd) toco-produce the ERJ-145 regional jet. Embraerholds a 51 % stake, HAIG and HAl having24.5% each.

Dong'an Engine Manufacturing Co.Originally known as the Harbin Engine Factory(HEF), this former weapons factory (convertedto an engine plant in 1951) mastered produc-tion of the HS-7 and HS-8 14-cylinder radialengines in 1958 and 1962 respectively underthe direction of Wang Xiurui and Xue Weihua.The WJ-5A turboprop entered trial productionat Harbin in 1970, and the uprated WJ-5A-1followed from 1982 onwards.

In addition, HEF also undertook productionof helicopter transmission systems - specifically,the P-5 main gearbox for the Z5 helicopter, thedrive train for the experimental Z6 and for theproduction Z8.

Hongdu Aviation Industries GroupThe Hongdu Aviation Industries Group(Hongdu Hangkong Gongye Gongsi) based inNanchang, Jiangxi Province, is the parentorganisation of the former Nanchang AircraftManufacturing Company (NAMC). It ispresided by Jiang Liang; the civil aircraft divi-sion is headed by Huang Xuejun.

The Nanchang factory (originally State air-craft factory No. 320) was reorganised from anaircraft repair facility. It started out by produc-ing the CJ-5 primary trainer in 1954-58; later,it built several variants of the Y-5 utility biplanein 1957-68 before transferring production ofthe type to Shijiazhuang. A small number ofJ-6A and J-6B interceptors was produced in1961-63. The CJ-6 trainer entered productionin 1962 and was still in production in 2005.

20

In 1969 the Nanchang factory started pro-ducing the Q-5 (A-5) attack aircraft, variousversions of which remained in production until1987. Prototype manufacturing of the J-12light fighter was undertaken in 1970 and1975.

In 1992 the Hongdu Aviation IndustriesGroup launched low-rate production of theN5A agricultural aircraft. Current programmesinclude the JL-8/K-8 advanced trainer (pro-duced jointly with Pakistan) and the L15 super-sonic fighter trainer.

In early 2003 HAIG created a subsidiarynamed Hongdu MD Helicopters (HMDH) toassemble MD 500 and MD 600 series helicop-ters from US-supplied kits.

Shaanxi Aircraft Industry GroupThe Shaanxi Aircraft Company (SAC, orShaanxi Feiji Gongye Gongs!) was establishedin November 1969 in Hanzhong south ofXi'an, the capital of Shaanxi Province. Its statuswas upgraded to Industry Group in 2001.Currently the company is led by President HuXiaofeng, with Ouyang Shaoxiu as Vice-President. In 2003 SAC had a workforce ofmore than 10,000.

So far the sole product of the ShaanxiAircraft Industry (Group) Co. is the Y8 four-tur-boprop medium transport, numerous versionsof which have been in production since 1975.However, the company is developing a succes-sor in the form of the Y9 four-turboprop trans-port. Non-aerospace products include coachesand lorries.

Shijiazhuang Aircraft IndustryCorporationThe Shijiazhuang Aircraft Industry Corporation(SAIC, or Shijiazhuang Feiji Gongye Gongsl) islocated in Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province. Priorto that it was part of the Xian AircraftIndustrial Group since July 1992, but was reas-signed to AVIC II when the former AVIC giantsplit in 1999. The company is controlled byGeneral Manager Cheng Bingyou.

SAIC came into existence in 1970 as theState aircraft factory No. 164, alias theShijiazhuang Red Star Machinery Factory. Itsfirst (and, for many years, only) product wasthe Y-5 biplane, more refined versions ofwhich were developed in due course; the Y-5Bmodel entered production in 1989. CurrentlySAIC manufactures the Qingting-5 (aka W-5)microlight aircraft and the LE-500 Little Eagle

single-engine cabin monoplane and plans toproduce the LE-800 business turboprop; thismakes it the only major Chinese company pro-ducing general aviation light aircraft.

South Aero Engine Co.Based at Zhuzhou near Changsha, Hunanprovince, this plant established in 1951 wasknown at various points of its history as theZhuzhou Engine Factory (ZEF) and the SouthMotive Power & Machinery Co. (SMPMC). Itstarted by overhauling the M-11 FR five-cylin-der radial engine in 1952 and then launchedproduction of it in 1954. This was followed byproduction entry of the HS-5 and HS-6 nine-cylinder radial engines in 1958 and 1960respectively; uprated HS-6A, HS-6B and HS-6Cversions appeared in 1965, 1966 and 1963.

Turboprop engine production at Zhuzhoubegan in 1965 with the experimental WJ-5 butfurther development took place at Harbin. TheWJ-6 turboprop was also produced by thisplant (the prototype was built in 1970 and low-rate production commenced in 1977). In 1980ZEF started production of the WZ-8 turboshaft.

Zhuzhou Aero EngineResearch InstituteThis establishment was set up in 1968 specifi-cally to undertake development of the WZ-5turboshaft derived from the WJ-5 (initial devel-opment had taken place at ZEF). The enginecommenced bench tests in 1969. The upratedWZ-5A followed in 1970; neither enginereached production.

Aircraft engineering centresAs mentioned earlier, AVIC II has set up an air-craft engineering centre with Airbus Industrieand AVIC I. The Chinese companies are todesign up to 5% of the A350XWB long-haulairliner's airframe. Airbus owns 70% of thejoint venture, with AVIC II and AVIC I holding25% and 5% respectively.

On 19th September 2007, the opening dayof the Aviation Expo China 2007 trade fair inBeijing, Shaanxi Aircraft Industry (Group) Co.and the Ukraine-based Antonov AeronauticalScientific & Technical Complex (ASTC) signed aframework agreement to set up an engineer-ing centre in Beijing by the end of the year.The centre was to design a freighter version ofa large aircraft to be developed in China by2010, AVIC II Vice-President Liang Zhenhe

THE CHINESE AIRCRAFT INDUSTRY

said. It would also design light and mediumtransport aircraft and improve the existing Y-8turboprop transport.

Shaanxi Aircraft would hold the controllingshare in the joint venture, with the initialinvestment being about 10 million yuan(US$1.29 million).

CATIC

AVIC I and AVIC II each own 50% of CATIC(China National Aero-Technology Import &Export Corporation) founded in 1979. It is cur-rently headed by President Yang Chunshu.

CATIC is a large transnational conglomer-ate whose main business is the import andexport of aviation products, technology, labourservices, equipment and materials. CATIC hasten domestic subsidiaries, seven specialisedmember companies (engaged in such activitiesas international trade and economic develop-ment, investment, freight ~rwarding, leasingand so on) and over 60 subsidiaries and

21

Yang Chunshu,President of theCATIC corpora-tion.

The CATIC head-quarters buildingin Beijing.

'5-09', one of theFT-2s delivered tothe Albanian AirForce, preservedat Ku

CHINESE AIRCRAFT THE FIGHTERS

'4-10', a J-5 infaded late-styleAlbanian AirForce markings.

JJ-5 '518 White'operated by thePLAAF's 'August1st' display team.Note the smokegenerator pods.

'31092 Red', aPLAAF J-5, withthe airbrakesopen.

Chengdu J-5A (J-5 Jia, F-5A)interceptorTo meet a PLAAF requirement for an all-weatherinterceptor, China obtained a licence to manu-facture the early production version of theMiG-17PF (NATO reporting name Fresco-D).This version featured an RP-l Izumrood-lradar in a longer nose, with a search antennabuilt into the air intake upper lip and a track-ing antenna housed in a small hemisphericalintake centrebody). The cockpit windshield

tical to that of the Soviet-built MiG-17F. ExportJ-5s were designated F-5 and supplied prima-rily to Albania.

designation J-4; some were resold to othernations as the F-4.

Shenyang J-5 (F-5) tactical fighter(Dongfeng-1 01, Type 56)In October 1954 China decided to build theMiG-17F Fresco-C day fighter. It was poweredby the VK-l F afterburning turbojet rated at2,600 kgp (5,730 Ibst) dry and 3,380 kgp(7,450 Ibst) reheat; as on the earlier version.The armament comprised one 37-mm (1.45calibre) Nudel'man N-37D cannon with 40rounds and two 23-mm (.90 calibre)Nudel'man/Rikhter NR-23 cannons with 80rounds per gun. This fighter had first flown on29th September 1951 and was then the cur-rent production version.

A manufacturing licence was obtained,and the manufacturing documents werehanded over in 1955 together with two pat-tern aircraft, 15 completely-knocked-down(CKD) kits and materials for a further ten air-craft. The Soviet Union also supplied the jigsand tooling and proposed a four-stage pro-gramme facilitating production entry.

The Shenyang Aircraft Factory startedassembly of the first MiG-17F from Sovietcomponents on 8th April 1955; the first fight-er made entirely of locally manufactured com-ponents was completed on 13th July 1956. Astatic test airframe was successfully tested todestruction on 26th July.

Meanwhile, serialled Zhong 0101 (thehieroglyph 'Zhong' is the first part of China'snative name, Zhong-Guo), the first locally-manufactured aircraft (construction number0101 - that is, Batch 01, 01st aircraft in thebatch) made its first flight on 19th July 1956 atthe hands of factory test pilot Wu Keming. Theflight tests continued until 2nd August thatyear. On 8th September the State Committeecleared the machine for full-scale production.The prototype was ultimately preserved at thePeople's Liberation Army Air Force Museum inDatangshan (now called Xiaotangshan) nearBeijing and listed as an 'Important HistoricalMonument' (!) by the Chinese government.

The licence-built version was originallyknown locally as the Dongfeng-l0l (EastWind-l 01) and Type 56 but was redesignatedJ-5 in 1964. The VK-l F turbojet enteredlicence production at the Harbin EngineFactory as the WP-5 (Wopen-5 - turbojetengine, type 5), or TJ-5 for export; the firstengine passed acceptance trials on 19th June1956. The J-5's performance was almost iden-

J-5 fighter family

Ba-5 target droneAfter running out of service life some of thePLAAF's MiG-15bis fighters were convertedinto remote-controlled target drones designat-ed Ba-5 for training fighter pilots and surface-to-air missile crews. The guidance equipmentwas installed in the cockpit, replacing the ejec-tion seat.

Chinese licence production of the MiG-17(NATO reporting name Fresco) - an upgrad-ed derivative of the MiG-15 with wingsweepback increased from 35 to 45, alonger fuselage and a more powerful engine- has been the subject of some controversyuntil recently. Contrary to claims by someWestern sources, the original MiG-17 sanssuffixe day fighter with the 2,700-kgp(5,925-lbst) non-afterburning VK-l A enginewas never built in China; Chinese Fresco-Aswere Soviet-supplied. However, as with theMiG-15bis, they reportedly received the local

'-..~

The 2,270-kgp (5,OOO-lbst) Klimov RD-45Fnon-afterburning centrifugal-flow turbojetpowering the MiG was built under licence inHarbin but did not receive a local designation.In addition to serving with China's PLAAF andPLANAF, the JJ-2 was exported as the FT-2(that is, Fighter Trainer). Foreign operatorswere Albania, Bangladesh, North Korea,Pakistan, Sudan, Tanzania and North Vietnam.

'12014 Red', aBa-5 targetdrone, takes off,showing theempty cockpit.The badge onthe tail is that ofthe designbureau.

Another Ba-5 isprepared forflight.

This flight linefeatures some ofthe earliest pro-duction J-5s, asindicated by theserials prefixedby the Zhonghieroglyph.

A publicity shotof PLAAF J-5sequipped withdrop tanks.

24 25


J-5A '51623 Red'is prepared for anight sortie,showing off thetwin radomes.

J-5A '2074 Red'is on display atthe PLAAFMuseum. Notethe additionalpylons, probablyfor AAMs.

cut in March 1963. The static test airframe (dn01) was completed in June 1964 and statictests continued until September. Finally, on11 th November 1964 the unserialled J-5A pro-totype (dn 02) made its first flight at Yanliangairfield near Xian at the hands of WuYouchang. Certification was obtained sameyear and the interceptor entered production in1965. The export version was designated F-5A(F for fighter).

A total of 767 single-seat J-5s (the propor-tion of 'pure' J-5s and J-5As is unknown) hadbeen built when production ended in 1969;peak output was 25 aircraft per month.

Chengdu JJ-5 (FT-5, F-5T)advanced trainer (product 557)In 1964 the Chinese aircraft industry begandevelopment of an advanced trainer derivativeof the J-5, a successor to the JJ-2 which couldnot quite meet the PLAAF's requirements.Designated JJ-5, it had no Soviet equivalent; itwas a cross-breed between the UTI-MiG-15and the MiG-17, combining the former's cock-pit section mated to a MiG-17 airframe. Thatis to say, the crewmembers sat in tandem, thetrainee's canopy section opening to starboardand the instructor's canopy section sliding aft.The shape of the nose resembled the

An FT-5 demon-strator with theChengdu companyserial CAC0133on final approachin 1995.

Another view ofthe same aircraft,which also hasthe non-standardPLAAF serial'950133 Red'.

Two PLAAF pilotspose with JJ-5'64673 Red' oper-ated by the 7thFlight Academy,Changchung.

'63641 Red', aJJ-5 of the 4thFlight Academyat Cangzhou,shows the dis-tinctive bulgedintake upper lip.

*

MiG-17PF (J-5A) with its characteristic 'fat lip';yet the aircraft had no radar, the nose was all-metal and there was no intake centrebody.With an overall length of 11.5 m (37 ft 8% in),the aircraft was 140 mm (5 3%. in) longer thanthe J-5A; the other dimensions were identical.

The JJ-5 was powered by a WP-5D (aliasTJ-5D) non-afterburning turbojet - theChinese equivalent of the VK-l A manufac-tured by the Xian Engine Factory - rated at2,700 kgp (5,952 Ibst), with a rear fuselageshape similar to that of the MiG-17. Yet, it had0.97-m 2 (1 0.43-sq ft) airbrakes borrowed fromthe MiG-17F/MiG-17PF (J-5). In other words, itwas the Fresco-A, Fresco-C, Fresco-D andMidget all rolled into one!

The Chinese engineers chose to eliminatethe built-in weapons tray which was a distinc-tive feature of the MiG-15 and MiG-17 (J-5).Instead, the JJ-5 had a single 23-mm (.50 cali-bre) Type 23-1 (NR-23) cannon mounted lowon the starboard side of the nose. Additionalpylons for air-to-ground weapons could be fit- ...." ---===ted outboard of the drop tank hardpoints. Thecockpits were equipped with an intercom andsemi-automatic ejection seats; the seats couldnot be used safely below 260 m (853 ft) at

Shenyang J-5 avionics testbed (7)At least one J-5 serialled '2424 Red' was con-verted into an avionics testbed for an uniden-tified Chinese radar. The radar antenna washoused in a bulbous radome on the intake'supper lip; the aircraft's appearance was thusquite similar to the Soviet SP-2 - an experi-mental version of the MiG-15 equipped with aKorshun (Kite, the bird) radar that presagedthe MiG-17P/PF.

Shenyang J-5 torpedo bomberTo meet a PLANAF requirement the Shenyangfactory developed a torpedo-bomber versionof the MiG-17F (J-5). The heavy torpedo wascarried under the fuselage; this required oneof the cannons to be removed and the fuelload to be reduced so as not to exceed theMTOW. Trials showed that performance(except field performance) had deterioratedsharply as compared to the standard J-5because of the high drag generated by the tor-pedo and the reduced fuel capacity. Thus thetorpedo bomber did not progress beyond theprototype stage; work in this direction contin-ued with the Nanchang Q-5B (see Chapter 4).

was redesigned to accommodate the gunsightand the radar display. The armament consistedof three NR-23 cannons.

Unlike the day fighter version, the Bureauof Aircraft Industry picked the ChengduAircraft Factory (now the Chengdu AircraftCorporation, CAC) to build the interceptor inMay 1961; the Chinese version was designat-ed J-5A or J-5 Jia. The Shenyang factory sent ateam of specialists to Chengdu to providehelp, as well as a complete set of jigs and tool-ing. Manufacturing drawings were completedat Chengdu in 1962, and the first metal was

J-5 '2424 Red',now likewise atthe PLAAFMuseum, wasconverted into aradar testbedwith a bulbousradome.

26 27


), in) (37 It 3'%" in) (37 It 8% in)

Wing span 10.08m 9.628 m 9628m 9.628 m(33 It 0% in) (31 It 7%. in) (31 It 7%. in) (31 It 7%. in)

Height on ground 37m 3.8m 38m 38m(12 It 14%. in) (12 It 5'%, in) (12lt5%in) (12 It 5% in)

Wing area, m' (sq It) 206 (2215) 22.6 (2430) 22.6 (2430) 226 (2430)Empty operating weight, kg (Ib) 3,694 (8,143) n.a. 4,151 (9,151) 4,080 (8,995)Take-oil weight, kg (Ib) 4,850 (10,690) 5,354 (11,803)1 5,620 (12,389)1 5,401 (11,907)1

6,000 (13,230)* 6,000 (13,230)* 6,215 (13,700)*Fuel capacity, titres (Imp gal):

internal 1,080 (2376) 1,410 (3157) 1,395 (3069) 1,500 (330)with 400-litre (88 Imp gal) drop tanks 1,880 (4136) 2,235 (4917) 2,195 (4829) 2,300 (506)

Top speed, kmlh (mph)at 5,000 m(16,400 It) 1,010(627) 1,130 (701) 1,145 (711) t 1,048 (56648)at 10,000 m(32,810 It) 963 (598) 1,071 (665) n.a. 902 (48756)

Service ceiling, m(It)in lull alterburner 15,100 (49,540) 14,450 (47,408)at lull military power 14,625 (14,625) 16,470 (54,035) 16,300 (53,477) 14,300 (46,916)

Rate 01 climb, m/sec (It/min):at 5,000 m 264 (5,200) 65.0 (12,795) 55.0 (10,830) 27 (5,315) tat 10,000 m 145 (2,850) 384 (7,560) 323 (6,360) n.a.

Time to height, minutes:to 5,000 m 26 21 25 n.a.to 10,000 m 68 37 4.5 n.a.to 15,000 m(49,210 It) - 7.4 9.8 n.a.

Range at 10,000 m, km (nm)on internal luel 950 (513) 1,080 (583) 1,100 (594)with 400-litre drop tanks 1,424 (769) 1,670 (902) 1,730 (935) 1.230 (664)*

Take-off run, m(It) 570 (1,870) 590 (!,804) 730-930 760 (2,493)"(2,395-3,051)

Landing run, m(It) 740 (2,427) n/a 885 (2,903) 780-830(2,559-2)23)

Armament:machine-guns 1x 12.7-mmcannons 1xType 37 3xType 23-1 1xType 23-1

2xType 23-1

* Normal/maximum TOW Some sources state the JJ-5's MTOW as 6,087 kg (13,419Ib) and maximum range as 1,160 km (627 nm)t At sea levelt At 3,000 m(9,840 It) At 9,750 m(31,988 It)

CHINESE AIRCRAFT

team's aircraft wearing a smart red/white liverywere equipped with a smoke generator systeminjecting a mixture of diesel fuel and dye intothe engine jetpipe; a supply of the mixture wascarried in two slender cigar-shaped tanks

30

attached to the standard drop tank hard-points. Additionally, at least one of the team's))-5s (serialled '507 White') had a non-stan-dard curved windscreen instead of the usualthree-piece windshield.

The Shenyang J-5

The Chengdu JJ-5 (FT-5)

The Chengdu J-5A

The Chengdu J-5A with additional pylons

J-6 fighter family

In the mid-1950s Soviet fighter aviationentered the supersonic era with the MiG-19(NATO reporting name Farmer). Taking the lineof development begun with the MiG-15 andMiG-17 further, the aircraft had sharply sweptmid-set wings, swept tail surfaces (conven-tional ones this time) and a nose air intake.The powerplant was a pair of Mikulin AM-9B(RD-9B) afterburning turbojets located side byside in the rear fuselage.

THE FIGHTERS

China decided it should follow suit; hencelicence manufacturing rights for the type wereobtained in 1957. It may be said that Chineselicence production turned the MiG-19 into achampion of longevity among fighters - thetype was produced for 32 years (1954-1986).As a result, the Farmer's production runbeyond the Great Wall more than doubledthat in the fighter's country of origin. True totype, the Chinese brought out into a numberof indigenous versions, including one differentenough to qualify as a separate type - the Q-5attack aircraft (see Chapter 4). Moreover, they

31


'3171 Red', a J2-6photo reconnais-sance aircraftwhose pilotdefected toSouth Korea on7th July 1977.

A propagandashot showing theflight line of aPLANAF unit fly-ing J-6s (note thepilots' life jack-ets) The nearestaircraft is cJnJianjiji 6-6631.

However, the interceptor turned out to be a bittoo complicated to build for this plant andproduction was transferred to the smaller fac-tory in Nanchang in Jiangxi Province whichwas trying to transition from propeller-drivenaircraft to jets. Yet this factory, too, managedto complete only seven J-6As in two years.

Shenyang J-6 (Dongfeng-1 02, Type59, F-6) tactical fighter (product 47)Despite the designation with no suffix letter,the radar-less J-6 day fighter (initially calledDongfeng-103 or Type 59) actually appearedlater than the J-6A. The J-6 was roughly equiv-alent to the MiG-19S Farmer-C (to be precise,the late-production version with a slightlylonger fin fillet), but they were not identical

as possible, the factory let quality standardsslip. The same held true for early-productionWP-6 turbojets - this engine turned out to befar more complicated to build than the WP-5previously produced by Liming; only in late1960 did the quality improve perceptibly.

As a result, most of the aircraft completedin 1959 and 1960 were deemed substandardand not accepted by the PLAAF. Eventuallyproduction had to be halted, all the jigs werethrown away and new ones made - withSoviet assistance this time.

The Shenyang factory resumed productionin 1961 with new jigs. Unlike the aircraft builtin 1958-60, which were armed with NR-30s,the 'new-production' J-6As had Type 23-2cannons (a Chinese derivative of the NR-23) -just as had been the case with the baseline J-6.

before the break between Moscow andBeijing, by a third agreement for the MiG-19Sday fighter.

The Bureau of Aircraft Industry tasked theShenyang Aircraft Factory with building theaircraft. The RD-9B turbojet was to be manu-factured as the WP-6 - originally by the Limingfactory, also located at Shenyang; later, engineproduction was transferred to Chengdu.

In early 1958 the Shenyang factory startedgearing up to build the MiG-19P. This versionhad an RP-5 Izumrood-2 radar (the samemodel as fitted to late-production MiG-17PFs)with a detection range of 12 km (7.46 miles)and was armed with two 30-mm (1.18 calibre)NR-30 cannons in the wing roots. The inter-ceptor initially received the local designationDongfeng-103 or Type 59A but was redesig-nated Jianjiji-6 Jia, aka J-6A, in 1964.

Five MiG-19Ps were delivered as CKD kitsin March 1958 for starting production.Assembly of these kits began straightaway buttook some time; the first MiG-19P assembledat Shenyang made its maiden flight on 17th

December 1958 at the hands of WangYouhuai. In April 1959 it was certificated bythe State Certification Commission.

However, back in May 1958 Mao Zedong'sgovernment had launched the notorious planof accelerated industrial development calledthe 'Great Leap Forward'. As mentioned earli-er, the plan backfired dismally and the indus-try was effectively disorganised. Also, at firstthe Chinese authorities decided they could setup J-6 production without Soviet help andordered the tooling to be manufactured local-ly. This turned out to be a big mistake.

Full-scale production began in April 1959.However, trying to crank out as many fighters

Farmer-B all-weather interceptor and theRD-9B engine. This was soon followed by asupplementary agreement concerning theMiG-19PM and then in late 1959, shortly

succeeded in doing what their Soviet col-leagues had failed to do - improving theMiG-19's poor reliability record (though notovernight).

Shenyang J-6A (Dongfeng-1 03,Type 59A, Jianjiji-6 Jia) interceptorThe abovementioned licensing agreement of1957 covered the production of the MiG-19P

'14121 Red', aMiG-19PM usedas a pattern air-craft for the mis-sile-armed J-68.

'0001 Red', theJ-6A prototype,in late camou-flage at thePLAAF Museum.

An unserialledprototype of theJ-6A cannon-armed all-weath-er interceptor.

32 33

CHI N ESE AI RC RAFT THE FIGHTERS

A trio of late-production F-6Csoperated by thePakistan AirForce's 15 Sqn'Cobras' atKamra.

North Korean AirForce F-6C '529Red' at SuwonAB following thepilot's defectionon 23rd May1966.

An Egyptian AirForce F-6C seri-ailed 2808. Notethe shape of thegun blast plates.

- ~.~.....-~

two Type 23-2 cannons in the wing rootswhich were deleted on most aircraft. This par-ticular example is now preserved at the PLAAFMuseum in Datangshan (now Xiaotangshan)near Beijing.

The J-6B differed from the Soviet-builtMiG-19PM in having the brake parachute relo-cated to a bullet fairing at the base of the finin the manner of the J-6C day fighter (seebelow). One of the development aircraft seri-ailed '14121 Red' was unusual in retaining

.:'

Nanchang J-6B (Jianjiji-6 Vi,Dongfeng-1 OS, Type 59B) interceptorThe plans to produce the J-6A in Nanchangcame to nothing. This factory concentratedinstead on the more capable MiG-19PM inter-ceptor (NATO reporting name Farmer-D)armed with RS-2-US (K-5M) beam-ridingAAMs. The licence-built Farmer-D was initiallyknown as the Dongfeng-105 and Type 59Bbut redesignated Jianjiji-6 Yi or J-6B in 1964.

Once again, production started with fiveCKD kits supplied by the Soviet Union inMarch 1958; the first 'kit-built' aircraft took tothe air on 28th September 1959 with WangYouhuai at the controls. On 28th November itwas cleared for PLAAF service by the StateCertification Commission.

Building the J-6B was no small task, espe-cially given the complications of the 'GreatLeap Forward' and the difficult transition frompiston-engined aircraft to jets. The Nanchangfactory built only 19 J-6Bs, whereupon theprogramme was mothballed.

A second try was made in 1974, possiblyusing the 12 Soviet-built MiG-19PMs acquiredfrom Albania in 1965 as pattern aircraft. Testsof the 'reborn' J-6B were completed in 1976and the interceptor entered limited productionnext year. The RS-2-US AAM was built underlicence at Zhuzhou as the PL-1.

Sidewinder, with different avionics; PL stoodfor Pi Li (Thunderbolt), which was a genericcodename for air-to-air missiles. The prototypeconversion made its maiden flight on 21 stDecember 1975.

Shenyang (Guizhou) J-6Amissile upgradeIn 1974 the Guizhou aircraft factory (nowGAIGC) upgraded the J-6A interceptor withtwo PL-2 infrared-homing air-to-air missilescarried on pylons outboard of the drop tanks.The PL-2 was a licence-built version of theK-13A, itself a reverse-engineered AIM-9

December 1963, though some sources claimthe first 'new-production' J-6 flew on 23rdSeptember 1963. Again, most of these 'new-production' J-6s were armed with Type 23-2long-barrelled cannons; some had the short-barrelled version of the same weapon. A fewretained the Type 30-1 (NR-30) cannons, albeitin modified form with large muzzle brakes.Finally, some of the avionics and flight instru-ments were different (Chinese derivatives ofthe original Soviet ones).

Export J-6s bore the designation F-6, whilethe WP-6 engines were designated TJ-6 forexport.

Production was mostly in batches of 40 air-craft, though some batches are known to con-tain up to 60. There were two constructionnumber systems. One is straightforward - e.g.,#6-6631 (that is, J-6, batch 66, 31 st aircraft inbatch); the # represents a hieroglyph standingfor Jianjiji. The other system is a little morecomplicated - e.g., 47-1825; the first two dig-its are an in-house product code or a codedenoting the factory. The second systemappears to apply to export aircraft and hasbeen noted on some F-6s delivered toPakistan.

twins. Outwardly the Chinese version differedfrom the Soviet original in having the pylons(used for carrying unguided rocket pods)mounted at the wing leading edge rather thanaft of the mainwheel wells, an emergencypitot head located to starboard rather than toport and only two cooling air scoops undereach all-movable tailplane instead of four.

The first J-6 took to the air on 30thSeptember 1959 with test pilot Wu Keming atthe controls. However, the day fighter versioninitially suffered from the same quality prob-lems as the interceptor, and the result wasthe same. By the end of 1960 productionhad ground to a halt and the Shenyang facto-ry airfield was choked with J-6s and J-6Asundeliverable due to poor manufacturingquality.

Production of entirely Chinese-built J-6smeeting the quality standards finally began in

Night scene at anaval airbase,with J-6As taxy-ing out past aline of J-6 dayfighters.

The J-6 finalassembly shop atthe ShenyangAircraft Factory.

34 35


JJ-6s '41052 Red'and '41053 Red'share the flightline with threeJ-6Bs.

These views showthe productionJJ-6's brake para-chute fairing andtriple ventral fins.

'116 Red', onemore JJ-6 devel-opment aircraft.

4... ~ "',." ~ I '"' ~.... {, .t.- vo-, ~ ... /'\( .(". '.--i

37

JJ-5 was not entirely adequate for training J-6pilots, to say nothing of the JJ-2. Hence inOctober 1966 China's Ministry of AircraftIndustry formulated, rather belatedly, an oper-ational requirement for a two-seat trainer ver-sion of the J-6 capable of matching the per-formance of the single-seater. Logically, thisaircraft received the designation JJ-6.

Shenyang/Tianjin JJ-6 (FT-6)advanced trainer (product 48)Since the Farmer made up the backbone ofthe PLAAF's fighter element, a supersonictrainer was urgently required; the subsonic

--

the ventral airbrake. It made its first flight on2nd April 1971 with Liu Jianfan at the controls.

Five years later another aircraft was con-verted into a more versatile reconnaissanceplatform suitable for both high-altitude andlow-altitude missions. In addition to the usualcameras this aircraft was equipped with aninfra-red scanner.

visual meteorological conditions. A battery offour oblique cameras and one vertical camerawas installed in the forward fuselage, necessi-tating removal of the nose cannon; the verti-cal camera was enclosed by a shallow fairing.Two of the oblique cameras had rectangularports, while the others had circular ports. Thecameras were mounted on a pallet whichcould be winched down for reloading. Thearmament consisted of two Type 23-2 can-nons with 100 rpg.

Designated JZ-6 (Jianjiji Zhenchaji - recon-naissance fighter), the aircraft entered limitedproduction in 1967. The export designationwas FR-6 (fighter/reconnaissance) but it is notknown if any were actually exported. A similarreconnaissance version of the improved J-6Cwas developed later; no separate designation(JZ-6C etc.) has been quoted.

Two production JZ-6s were modified forhigh-altitude PHOTINT in 1971. There are rea-sons to believe these aircraft were convertedfrom late-model JZ-6s built to J-6C standard - orpossibly 'basic' (non-reconnaissance) J-6Cs. Thisversion had a canoe fairing with camera portsstretching all the way from the nose gear unit to

-- -

immediately after touchdown, reducing thelanding run dramatically.

Less obvious changes were made to theflaps and airbrakes to increase their efficiency.The standard WP-6 engines gave place toWP-6As - a locally-developed version of theRD-9BF-811 rated at 3,000 kgp (6,614 Ibst)dry and 3,752 kgp (8,267 Ibst) reheat. Newhydraulic systems were installed and morepowerfu I control su rface actuators fitted.

Designated Jianjiji-6 Bing or J-6C, the air-craft entered flight test on 6th August 1969;the prototype was probably white overall andserialled '112 Red'. The J-6C was built in quan-tity, equipping more than 40 PLAAF and NavalAir Arm (PLANAF) units. The export designa-tion was F-6C; judging by the constructionnumbers of some Pakistani aircraft, the in-house product code at Shenyang was 55-.

Like the original J-6, most J-6Cs werearmed with three Type 23-2 cannons. Someaircraft, however, had Type 30-1 cannons withlarge muzzle brakes; moreover, Egyptian F-6Csfitted with the heavy cannons featured non-standard trapezoidal blast panels.

Pakistani F-6s and F-6Cs were upgradedafter delivery, including the integration ofAIM-9B/L Sidewinder AAMs, Western avionicsand the fitment of Martin-Baker PKD10 (Mk.10L) zero-zero ejection seats. The standardChinese ejection seats developed from theSoviet KK-1 could not be used safely below260 m (853 ft) and 350 km/h (188 kts).

Shenyang JZ-6 (FR-6) tacticalreconnaissance aircraftIn 1966 the Shenyang design bureau begandevelopment of a tactical reconnaissance ver-sion of the J-6 equivalent to the MiG-19R. Theaircraft was optimised for low/medium-altitude photo reconnaissance (PHOTINT) in

Shenyang J-6C (Jianjiji-6 Bing, F-6C)tactical fighter (product 55)The design bureau of the Shenyang factorysoon set about making modifications to thebasic J-6. The brake parachute was relocatedfrom its ventral compartment to a prominentbullet-shaped fairing at the base of the fin(thus the space below the rudder was put togood use at last). The reason for this modifica-tion was that the original brake parachutecaused the aircraft to pitch down sharply. Thismeant it could only be deployed safely whenthe nosewheel was firmly on the ground.Conversely, a parachute located above thethrust line caused the fighter to pitch up,increasing drag; hence it could be deployed

36

,

'3243 Red', aJZ-6, shows thelowered camerapallet aft of thenose gear unit.

F-6C '7636' of thePAF's No. 19 AirSuperiority Sqncarries a confor-mal fuel tank.

This unserialledJJ-6 is the proto-type with a ven-trally stowedbrake parachute.


J-6 II '81694 Red'shows off thecut-back intakesplitter, smalleradjustable centre-body and auxil-iary inlet doors.

'40404 Red', theJ-6 II prototype,in 'tiger' camou-flage at thePLAAF Museum.

Close-up of thenose of J-6 I'2996 Red', show-ing the fixedintake centre-body.

The J-6 II prototype ('40404 Red'?) madeits first flight on 25th March 1969. This aircraftis now on display at the Datangshan museumtogether with a second exa'mple, '40403 Red'.

ing in a very concave leading edge with theupper and lower halves set at about 30 to thevertical. Finally, the armament was reduced totwo cannons under the nose - one Type 30-1on the starboard side and one Type 23-2 onthe port side).

Shenyang J-6 II tactical fighterIn the mid-1960s the basic J-6's top speed of1,450 km/h (901 mph) was considered inade-quate. The engineers at the Shenyang aircraftfactory set to work refining the fighter, andthe result was known as the J-6 II.

The aircraft was evolved from the J-6 I pro-totype. The main recognition feature wasagain a fairly large and very pointed shockcone in the air intake. This immediately led tospeculations that the J-6 II was equipped witha fire control radar but, in fact, the cone wasagain a purely aerodynamic refinement intend-ed to improve operating conditions for theengines. Unlike the J-6 I, the cone wasadjustable and four spring-loaded blow-indoors were added on each side of the noseimmediately aft of the air intake lip. Also, theintake splitter was cut back drastically, result-

the performance of the basic J-6. The fuselageahead of the cockpit was redesigned, beingslightly 'fatter' (rather in the manner of theMiG-19P/PM), and a small non-adjustableshock cone was added to the intake splitterplate, rather in the nature of the trackingantenna radome on the MiG-19P/PM. Thiswas purely an aerodynamic improvement, nothousing any form of radar. The aircraft wasarmed with two Type 23-2 wing cannons andone Type 30-1 cannon in the nose.

Apparently the modified intake was notworking as it should, and the aircraft becamea stepping stone in the development of the J-6II described below. The J-6 I prototype (uniden-tifiable as the serial has been obliterated)was relegated to the PlAAF Museum inDatangshan. Originally stored with a damagedlower intake lip and a short shock cone (prob-ably non-authentic and hastily replaced afterbeing struck by a vehicle), it was later repairedas '2996 Red' and given a longer and morepointed shock cone.

J-6; an intercom and a blind flying hood wereprovided.

The wing cannons were deleted to makeroom for additional 150-litre (33 Imp gal) fuelcells in the wing roots; the nose cannon with100 rounds was retained. To make up for theincreased fuselage area ahead of the CG andensure adequate directional stability, two largeoutward-canted trapezoidal fins were installedunder the aft fuselage, augmenting the stan-dard ventral fin. The mainwheels featured discbrakes instead of expander-tube brakes. Thewhip aerial of the communications radio wasmoved to a position aft of the instructor'scockpit on the port side.

Prototype construction began in Shenyangin 1967. Serial led '09 Red' and powered bystandard WP-6 engines, the prototype madeits first flight on 6th November 1970, pilotedby Wang Chunyou. The aircraft differed fromsubsequent JJ-6s in having slender cigar-shaped pods on the wingtips; these wereprobably test instrumentation pods, not fueltanks.

Comprehensive tests continued untilDecember 1973, whereupon the JJ-6 enteredproduction at two factories - in Shenyang andTianjin. Production aircraft differed from theprototype in having the brake parachute relo-cated to a bullet fairing at the base of the fin,as on the J-6C, and in having longer and shal-lower outer ventral fins (the latter were proba-bly reshaped to prevent damage in a tail-downlanding).

The aircraft remained in production forthirteen years; by 1986 a total of 634 trainershad rolled off the production lines. Besidesdeliveries to the PlAAF, the JJ-6 was exported(mostly to Pakistan) as the FT-6. Pakistani FT-6swere upgraded in much the same way as thesingle-seaters, including installation of Martin-Baker PKD 10 (Mk.l0l) zero-zero ejectionseats. This, incidentally, created a slight incon-venience; since the Martin-Baker seat pan islocated higher than that of the KK-1, the air-craft can only be flown by pilots who, togeth-er with the 'bone dome' helmet, are not morethan 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in) tall. There are indica-tions that some FT-6s were fitted with missilerails for AIM-9B/l Sidewinder AAMs.

Shenyang J-6 IThe designation J-6 I has been quoted as aparallel designation of the J-6A, but this isnow known to be incorrect. The real J-6 I wasprobably the result of an attempt to improve

like the JJ-5, the new trainer was not acopy because, contrary to allegations by someWestern authors, there never was a two-seatMiG-19 to copy it from; the Chinese engineershad to start from scratch. The JJ-6 was devel-oped by the Shenyang design bureau in closeco-operation with the Military AviationInstitute.

As on most trainers, on the JJ-6 the traineeand instructor sat in tandem under a common

canopy; the latter had individual sections hing-ing open to starboard. The height of thecanopy and windshield was increased by 80mm (3%2 in) to give the back-seater a measureof forward view. In order to avoid a reductionin fuel capacity (as had been the case with the

JJ-5 and UTI-MiG-15) a 0.84-m (2 ft 9%4 in)'plug' was inserted in the fuselage ahead ofthe wit:1gs; thus both cockpits were locatedahead of the wing front spar. The ejectionseats were the same as used on the single-seat

FT-6 '10828' wasoperated by thePakistan AirForce's 16 Sqn'Panther' atPeshawar.

Another exportFT-6, this time anEgyptian aircraftserialled 3953.

A Bangladesh AirForce FT-6. Theserial 10826 is aleftover from thetrainer's PAF days.

38 39

CHINESE AIRCRAFT THE FI

Chinese Aircraft

Documents

tactical fighter project

fighterbomber project

fighter family

shenyang jll fighter

196y6 airliner project

thunder fighter

chengdu j

heavy interceptor project